


Just Friends

by PeachGlitch



Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Not even when Bridget is drunk, Unrequited Love, basically Vera loves Bridget but Bridget loves Franky, plus vera won't even admit to herself that she loves Bridget
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 03:49:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13627989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeachGlitch/pseuds/PeachGlitch
Summary: Bridget is drunk so she she calls a friend to take her home.





	Just Friends

"You didn't have to come," Bridget says as she's led out of the bar. She winces as the air outside hits her. It's not a particularly cold night, but the crowded bar had been unbearbly hot in contrast. 

"Then why did you call me?" Vera asks with the slightest hint of amusement. Her eyes remain focused on the carpark, trying to ignore her drunk former collegue as they walk side by side. 

It was nearly 2am on a work night and had Vera not been up to her eyeballs in paper work then she would of missed the call completely. A part of her wishes she had been asleep. It wasn't being here picking up Bridget that was the issue, it was the inevitable awkward conversation she'd have to have with herself again once this was done. 

But that was another issue all together.

"Did I?" Bridget's brows knit in confusion, but she shrugs her shoulders, "still you didn't have to come," she repeats quietly. 

Vera doesn't know what bothers her more, the fact that she's here or the fact that Bridget seems unappreciative of her being here. She pulls her jacket on tighter and tries to ignore the knot in her stomach. 

This new Bridget is someone she's trying to get used to. The dynamic of their friendship had changed drastically. In the past it was Bridget who was the strongest out of the both of them and who's confidence was only something Vera could dream of having. Since Franky had been re arrested and then escaped, Bridget was a shell of the woman she used to be. 

"Ouch!" 

Vera's concentration is broken at the sound next to her.There's an anguished expression on her face and Vera is genuinely worried that she's hurt herself. 

"These bloody shoes!" Bridget complains while leaning against a lamppost, one knee is bent backwards as she tries to elevate the pain. 

"Have you twisted your ankle?" Vera is at her side in a second, her eyes narrowing at the heels Bridget is wearing.

"Let me see," she tries to get a better look but Bridget is swaying and it doesn't help matters that Vera is distracted by the tight jeans she's wearing. With a frustrated huff she grabs Bridget's ankle, which causes the blonde to shriek and then giggle uncharacteristicly. 

Upon closer inspection Vera is releaved that it's the heel of the shoe that's broken, whilst Bridget's ankle is intact. 

"Your heel's snapped off." Standing back up Vera looks around to locate her car which mercifully isn't far. "My cars just there," she tries while pointing in the general direction, "it might be easier for you if you take them off." 

Bridget looks down at her feet and tilts her head to the side, her expression is somewhat pained. 

"Franky brought me these." She states simply.

Vera frowns not knowing how to reply. Bridget's relationship without Franky wasn't a subject she ever felt comfortable discussing. It wasn't that she opposed it, she just didn't understand. Franky was the complete opposite to Bridget in ever way as far as she was concerned. 

"Oh well," Bridget looks up again with a sad smile, "just something else to throw away." She manages to get out of the shoes before carrying on towards the car barefoot. 

Rolling her eyes Vera picks up the discarded shoes and locates the broken heel. She puts them in her hand bag and makes a mental note to send them back once fixed. 

They get into the car quietly, Vera has to help Bridget out with her seat belt, the close proximity mixed with the blondes perfume and sweat makes her feel dizzy, but other than that they don't interact. 

Once the engine is on Vera allows herself to enjoy the heater for a minute before reversing and setting off towards Bridget's house. 

"I'll need a ride to work tomorrow," Bridget breaks the silence and Vera nearly slams on the break. 

"What?" She asks dumbfounded, chancing a glance over at her.

"My car it's back there somewhere," she motions her head towards the carpark they're about to exit and yawns before continuing, " so I'll need a ride." 

Vera is at a loss for words, but quickly gatheres herself. 

"Firstly you do remember that we don't work together anymore don't you?" There's no room for a reply before she carries on, "and secondly I'd like to think you wouldn't be stupid enough to even consider going into work in oh," she glances at the dashboard clock, "five hours time!"

Her fingers tighten around the steering wheel and Vera mentally counts to ten. She knows she's being harsh but can't help herself. They were supposed to be friends but she couldn't help but feel almost as used as she had when Joan was Govenor. 

When Bridget doesn't reply she looks over again. She can't see her face because she's turned to look out the window, but by the way her shoulders are hunched it's obvious she's crying.

"Look Bridget I'm sorry I didn't mean to shout," she says feeling guilty for being angry in the first place, " I just think you need to sober up and have a clear head before even thinking about work, I don't want you getting in trouble-

"This isn't about work and you know it!" Bridget interrupts her and she grimaces. Vera knows what she's referring to, or more to the point who, and it's a subject she'd rather avoid.

"We shouldn't talk about this now," she says, trying to focus on the road ahead once more. There was so many reasons why they shouldn't discuss this.

"Why?" Bridget asks and from the smell of alcohol had turned to face her.

"I'm the Govener at Wentworth, where you used to work and you are in a relationship with the escaped inmate," she almost laughs at the ridiculousness of this situation, " we shouldn't even be speaking in general let alone sharing a fucking car ride!" She shouts, letting go of her control for a second.

Two more streets and they'd be at Bridget's, Vera reminds herself. The sooner this encounter was over with the better. 

"I haven't got anyone to talk to," Bridget goes on , "it's ironic really, I make my living listening to other people's problems but when it comes to my own I'm alone." 

Vera sighs and that familiar pang of guilt creeps up again. She knows she hasn't been the greatest of friend to Bridget as of late but it's so hard to maintain professionalism and a friendship. There were boundaries she refused to cross, even if she wanted to.

"That's not true," she says and she knows it sounds pathetic. But Vera was not going to open a can of worms now. Not while Bridget was sat drunk and barefoot in her car. This wasn't the time for some profound conversation.

They pull up to Bridget's home and Vera wastes no time in getting out and opening the passenger side door.

Bridget doesn't get up straight away , she just sits looking down at her hands in her lap and mumbles under her breath. 

"What was that?" Vera asks against her better judgement. 

For the first time Bridget looks up properly at her and Vera finally see's the anguish behind her eyes. 

"I love her, I love her so much, Vera," Bridget says sofltly, "but it hurts."

Vera sighs before kneeling down next to her. Her legs ached from working the previous day, but she didn't show it.

"Do you know where she is?" She asks and instantly knew it was the wrong thing to say.

"What the fuck?!" Bridget's voice pierces through the silence and she fumbles with her belt and then gets up from the car seat.

"That's all you care about isn't it? You want to catch her so you can be top of the class again!" 

Vera almost falls over herself as Bridget pushes past her, but recovers quickly before following her. 

"No that's now why I asked I just-

"Fuck off Vera!" She shouts turning sharply to glare at her, " Is this why you came to fetch me? Try and get information out of me while I'm drunk? Well guess what, I don't know where she is anyway!" Bridget's voice cracks, and tears fall down her cheeks freely.

Vera does nothing but stare sympatheticly at the broken women in front of her. She contemplates getting into her car and driving off, but knows she couldn't and would never just leave Bridget standing alone crying on the street.

She feels hurt as well, that Bridget would even think that. But as usual she ignores how she herself feels and focuses on the person in front of her.

Vera takes a tentative step forward, until there's not much room between them. She has never been any good at his sort of thing, but she will try for Bridget.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Vera whispers, not being specific because she was sorry for a lot of things. She was sorry that she wasn't there for Bridget, she was sorry she felt so isolated and she was sorry that's Franky had left her in the dark again.

She was sorry she couldn't tell her how she really feels. 

"I don't know who I am anymore," Bridget admits before stepping forward and falling into Vera. She clings onto her jacket and cries quietly. 

With only a slight hesitation Vera allows herself to wrap her arms around Bridget's tiny form. Although she drunk and will undoubtedly regret this interaction the next day, Vera hopes Bridget remembers she was here for her. 

"Shh, shh, it's ok," she soothes holding onto the blonde just a tad tighter. Without her shoes on and with Vera wearing her's Bridget is a few inches shorter, and fit quite comfortably in her arms. 

Vera shakes the thought away immediately. She's only just gotten over whatever she thought she felt for Bridget, now was not the time to rekindle anything. Especially whilst she was crying over someone else and drunk.

There's someone beeping their horn up ahead and it ruins the moment. Both of them pull away and just stand there awkwardly.

"I'm sorry I told you to fuck off," is what Bridget says first and Vera can't help but smile.

"It's ok I've been told to do worse," she replies.

There's more silence as neither of them say anything else. It's to late for small talk and not enough time for the conversation they should be having. 

"I meant it though, you aren't alone, you can talk to me," Vera says but knows deep down she might not be able to keep her promise. 

"Just not while I'm drunk," Bridget theorises smugly and wipes away at the mascara on her cheeks.

"Not while you're drunk," Vera agrees, " and not while you're barefoot in the street," she laughs motioning at Bridget's small feet.

"Tomorrow after you finish work?" Bridget asks almost shyly but to the point.

Again Vera knows she's breaking all sorts of rules both proffesional and personal but she can't refuse and simply nods. 

This seems to satisfy Bridget who smiles brightly up at her.

"I'll go inside then before I freeze to death,"

"Wait I -

But Vera doesn't finish her sentence, instead she shakes her head and berates herself. Bridget just looks at her knowingly and now Vera feels like crying, but she doesn't 

"See you tomorrow," she simply says and turns back to her car. 

The truth was she didn't really know if she'd come back the next day. 

She wasn't sure she could cope with just being a friend again.


End file.
